Raising and lowering and tilting means for venetian blinds



Aug. 11, 1942. w. E. wimp 2, 9 ,857

RAISING AND LOWERING AND TILTING MEANS FOR VENETIAN BLINDS Filed March 5, 1940 3 S heets-Sfi'eet l Envefifor: W/u/A M 15 Wen-740,-

{Ala Gttorn'eg vAug. 11, 1942. I

W. E. WREAD I RAISING AND LQWERING AND TILTINQ- MEANS FOR VENETIAN BLINI JS Filed March 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Envcntor WILL/AM E. Wei/10,

I attorney.

Aug. 11, 1942. w WREAD 2,292,857

RAISING AND LOWERING AND TILTING MEANS FOR VENETIAN ,VEILINDS Filed March 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sh eet 3 ZSnnentor:

W/LL/AM E. M42540.

' (Ittomeg Patented Aug. 11, 1942 RAISING AND LOWERIN G AND TILTING MEANS FOR VENETIAN BLINDS William E. Wread, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Atlas Investment Corporation, a corporation of California Application March 5, 1940, Serial N 0. 324,919

20 Claims.

My invention relates to supporting means for Venetian blinds and particularly to the raising and lowering means for the Venetian slats and the tilting means for said slats, and its support or connection to the header of a window opening.

An object of my invention is to make a novel construction for supporting, raisin and lowering, and tilting Venetian blinds and which construction will lend itself to quick assembly and mass production.

Another object is to provide a novel means for raising and lowering the slats of Venetian blinds wherein the slats are not perforated as at present to receive a center cord or other cords as now used for raising and lowering the Venetian blind.

Another object is to provide a novel supporting means for Venetian blind slats whereby broken slats may be easily and quickly removed and replaced.

A further object is-to provide a novel tilting means forVenetian blind slats which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which will also automatically limit the tilting movement of the mechanism and slats in either direction.

A further object is to provide a novel means for raising and lowering Venetian blinds by means of an endless chain, belt or rope and which upon cessation of the raising or lowering operation will automatically and eifectively lock and secure the Venetian blind in its adjusted position without further operation on the part of the operator.

A still further object is to provide a novel combined tilting bar structure and mechanism for raising and lowering the blind whereby the usual header bar heretofore used is eliminated, and whereby the header space is reduced to a minimum so as to obtain a maximum of light area in the space to which the blind is applied.

A still further object is to provide a novel raising and lowering means as well as a novel tilting means for Venetian blinds which may be manufactured at a low cost, and which is durable, and easily and quickly and inexpensively assembled and installed.

A still further object is to provide a novel method of hanging, controlling and operating Venetian blinds whereby the blind slats will have complete freedom to change from a fully opened to a fully closed position and when moved to a closed position will effectively and substantially entirely prevent light from passing through adjacent edges of the slats.

My invention includes the parts and combinations of parts more particularly described in detail and pointed out in the claims.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detail description, and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in a form I at present deem preferable.

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of my novel raising and lowering, and tilting means for Venetian blinds associated with an opening. Parts are broken away to contract the view and the spaced blind slats are shown in horizontal position.

Fig. 2 is a top view partly in plan and partly in section, and taken on irregular line 2-2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the combined raising and lowering means and tilting means for the blind slats, and taken on line 33, Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a vertical 44, Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a view analogous to Fig. 4 but taken on line 5-5, Fig. 1 and showing the tape in full lines rather than in section for purposes of clearness.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view taken on line 6-6, Fig. 2 showing one side of the U-shaped hanger and the raising and lowering operating means.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1, Fig. 2 showing the tilting bar moved to substantially one extreme position, and the slats not quite fully closed.

Fig. 8 is an extended plan view of the core member forming the roller upon which the hoisting tape is wound. A

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the pulley used in connection with the raising and lowering mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of one of the saddle members of the tilting mechanism used in connection with the journals for supporting the combined operating mechanisms along or at one end of the window header, and illustrating the hub for the extension and operation of the tilting bar.

My invention comprises a combined unit whereby Venetian blinds may be supported, raised sectional view taken on line and lowered and tilted to any desired angularity so as to make an effective substantially closed contact with the slats thereof to effectively close the space between adjacent slats and the area in which the blind is hung.

The combined raising and lowering and tilt- I ing mechanism includes a U-shaped supporting member I that is secured by screws 2 to the usual header 3 or top jamb member of the window opening 4. The depending legs 5 of the U-shaped member I are provided at one side with angular slots 6 of the predetermined diameter to receive the hub l of the operating mechanism and which will be more clearly hereinafter described.

The Venetian blind slats 8 are mounted relative to the raising and lowering tape 9, one end of which is connected in any suitable manner to the lower rail l and the upper end of which is secured to a roller H such as is shown inFig.

The roller I I may be made in various'ways and I have shown the same as being constructed of sheet metal comprising flanges I2 thatare provided with a square axial opening l3 to receive the square shaft [4 that extends therethrough and along the opening to which the blind is fitted. The flanges [2 are spaced apart by a core member i5 that has lugs or tits l6 extending therefrom and which pass through openings IT in the flanges after which they arepeened over to form a complete assembly. The core member I5 is not completely closed as shown in'Fig. 5, and one edge thereof I8 is turned inwardly so as to form a fiat member to receive the raising and lowering tape 9. The portio'nbetween the lugs l6 provides for definitely spacing .the'fianges l2 one from'the other.

The roller H as indicated is made up as a separate unit and the assembly with respect to the hanger will be hereinafter brought'out.

The slats 8 are connected to and supported by a supporting tape which also is used as a means for tilting the slats, and the'ra'ising and lowering tape 9 associated therewith is mounted on the outside of and overlies the flexible slat supporting member 20.

The elevating and lowering means associated with the tape 9, comprises a square shaft I'4'that extends along the top portion of the opening to which the blind is attached and receives -a pulley 2| that has a square central opening 22 and a surrounding circular recess 23 on one side thereof to receive the hub 24 that extends from the tilting saddle 25. Said hub is provided with arecessed annular portion 26 that is received in the slot 6 and provides a journal with the base of this slot 6 for the assembly. The hub is provided with a circular axial opening through which the square shaft I4 may freely rotate, and

is provided at its inner end with means whereby one arm 21 of the saddle is secured in a fixed or rigid position to the hub 24.

The tilting mechanism comprises the saddle 25 which includes the arms-21 and '28 that are F7 spaced apart by spacing bolts 29 that are provided with the usual shoulders and are peened over at their outer ends to form a spaced construction for the arms 21, 28. The arm 28 receives the hub 1 to which it is secured in fixed relation, and said hub 1 is also provided with a round portion 3!! that is received in the recess 6 in one of the arms of the supporting saddle or member I. A pulley 3! is formed on the hub 1 and has extending on one side thereof a square portion 32 through which a round opening 33 extends so that the square shaft l4 may freely rotate therein. The supporting tape 20 is secured to the spacing bolts 29 as best shown in Fig. 5.

The ends of the arms 21 and 28 are of a predetermined distance from the center and are cut on an angle, as more clearly shown in Fig. "7 so that when thetilting mechanism is operated'in either direction one end of said arms depending r and thespacing bolts .29.

upon the direction the same is moved, will contact the web of the U-shaped supporting member l thereby forming an automatic stop so as to prevent accidental abuse in turning the tilting mechanism too far, and providing means whereby the slats may be tilted to a predetermined maximum angle in one direction and also limiting the tilting motion to a predetermined maximum angle in a reverse direction, and in which the slats will contact each other to substantially entirely prevent light from passing through adjacent edges of the slats.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in mounting my supporting and tilting means the U-shapedmember l is first secured to the header and a U-shaped support 34 positioned at an opposite end of the opening, having slots 6 analogous to the slots 6 is and after the assembly heretofore described has been made the shaft maybe Slipped into the slots 6, 6' and the device is then hung. However, prior to hanging the Venetian blind it will be'noted that the raising andlowering mechanism and tilting mechanism are assembled as a single unit'and the spool Il "may be slipped between the arms 21 and 28 and then the square shaft I4 inserted therethrough and then the tapes maybe secured to the roller The collar '35having a set screw 36 may be positioned on one end of the shaft M to prevent longitudinal movements thereof relative to the operating mechanism. A square shaft 31 encircles the shaft l4 and is received on the square portion 32 of the hub I and maybe of predetermined or varying'lengths and forms aspacing means between the operating mechanism and the support or journal for the other end of the shaftl4.

It will also be apparent to those skilled "in the art that a plurality of supporting members 34 may be disposed along the opening'in the event it "is necessary to support the shaft l4 at various points along its length. By my'construction practically an unlimited opening in width may be equipped with a single Venetian blind operated from a common point. The other end of the shaft opposite the operating mechanism may be provided with a collar '38 and set screw 38 to prevent'longitudinal movement of shaft l4 relative to its supporting means. The supporting member is identical with the supporting member l, andits associated tilting saddle has journal members a with which extend from the respective arms 21 and 28' thereof as more clearly shown in Fig. 10. Such journal members a are a square extension member which has a groove 40 cut therein to form a journal with the slots 6 formed in the U-shaped support 34. The square projections a receive one end of the square tubular member 31 and its extension from unit to unit. The projections a are provided with a circular axial bore to receive the square shaft M which may freely rotate therein. The projections a are fixedly secured to the arms 21', and 28' by means of the rounded end I) which extends through such arms and are peened over on their inner ends.

The means for raising and lowering the'blind preferably comprises a continuous rope or chain 42 that is trained over pulleys 43 and 44 journaled at 45 and 46 to one arm of an L-shaped hanger 41 that is pivoted at one end at '48 through one leg of the U-shaped hanger I, as best shown inFig. 4.

The means for tilting the slats include a continuous rope or chain 49 that is trained over a pulley analogous to the construction heretofore described for raising and lowering the slats but on the opposite side of the U-shaped hanger; the raising and lowering rope and the tilting rope is respectively trained over its respective pulley;2| and3|.

Each L-shaped arm 41 is provided with a braking shoe as best shown in Fig. 3, and which extends from the under side of the arm outwardly and then upwardly at an angle to form a wedge shaped groove 11 to engage the under side of its respective associated pulley and securely hold the same in locked position when the operator releases his tension upon the operating cord. Such braking shoe is urged against its respective pulley by means of its respective spring 5| secured to the upper end of arm 41 and to a pin 52 extending from the hanger member I. The free end of the L-shaped arm 41 is bent back upon itself in spaced relation so as to receive the pulleys 43 and 44 therebetween and provide means whereby the pulleys are journaled thereto by means of the rivets 45 and 46.

In operation when it is desired to raise or lower the blind the operator will pull upon the desired cord 42 whereupon the brake shoe 5|! will be released from the pulley 2| and continuous pulling upon the cord will rotate the shaft l4 and roller I whereupon the raising tape 9 will be wound upon or unwound from such roller thus raising or lowering the blind. In this operation it will be noted that the pulley 2| rotates upon the hub 24 and does not affect the tilting means.

If it is desired to tilt the slats the operator will pull upon the desired cord whereuponthe brake shoe will be released from engagement with pulley 3| and continuous pulling upon such cord will operate pulley 3| and in turn operate square shaft 31 with its associated tilting saddle 25 whereupon the slats may be adjusted to any desired angle. It will be noted in operation of the tilting mechanism that by reason of the fact the assembly has a round opening sufficiently large to accommodate the square shaft l4, no action on said shaft M will be effected upon operation of the tilting mechanism.

Furthermore immediately upon releasing either of the cords the spring 5| will automatically pull the L-shaped arm upwardly so as to cause the brake shoe 50 to automatically engage the pulley and hold the same in adjustedposition without further operation on the part of the operator.

The Venetian blind slats 8 are spaced apart along the tilting tape 2|! at predetermined intervals by the usual spacing and suppo-rtingtapes 1|! that are tacked or wovenrinto the tilting tape at its free end1| thereof. The slats B are held relative to a supporting tape 10 by any suitable means such as a U-shaped staple 12 that is secured to the slats and encircles the supporting member 10 at approximately the center of the slats so as to provide free tilting movement of the slats in either direction. This construction is more particularly described and particularly claimed in my co-pending application hereinabove referred to. By this construction it will be apparent that the staples'12 may be easily removed from the slats and encirclement of tape 10 and the broken slat removed and a different slat may be readily inserted in the proper space and a staple secured thereto over the supporting member 1!! without requiring the Venetian blind to be completely disassembled in order to replace a broken slat.

As best shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the legs of the U-shaped supporting member are provided along their front edges with notches or recesses 13, the lower ends of which form stops 14 that are engaged by a projection or lug 15 that is preferably formed by a struck-up portion from the L-shaped hanger 41 at substantially the joining portion of the arms of said hanger 41. By this construction downward movement of the hanger 41 is limited by engagement of the lug 15 with the stop 14 so as to prevent the hanger from being moved downward to an extreme position whereby harm may be occasioned to the mechanism by excess downward movement of the hanger 41.

In assembling or disassembling the mechanism from the hangers and 34 the springs 5| are released from the posts 52 or the hangers 41 which are then permitted to drop downwardly about their axes 43 so as to permit ease of inserting or removing the journals from the slots 6.

I claim: I

1. In a raising and lowering means for Venetian blinds comprising a plurality of slats, hanger members; a shaft journaled in said members; flexible members for supporting said slats; means oscillatably supporting said flexible members from said hangers; a raising and lowering tape connected at one end to said shaft and adapted to be wound thereupon and adapted to embrace said flexible supporting members and the slats forming a Venetian blind; and means for rotating said shaft to wind said tape upon said shaft and to unwind said tape from said shaft to raise and lower said slats.

2. In a tilting mechanism for Venetian blinds, hanger members; a tilting saddle journalled in said member; a shaft extending from, and in fixed relation to, and connecting adjacent tilting saddle members; a supporting tape connected at one end to said saddle; slats spaced along and supported by said tape; and means for oscillating said shaft and saddle whereby said slats may be moved to various angular positions.

3. In a Venetian blind; hanger members; a shaft; another shaft encircling said first mentioned shaft; said shafts being supported by and journaled in said members; a supporting tape connected to one of said shafts; slats spaced along andsupported by said tape; a raising and lowering tape for said slats connected to the other of said shafts and overlying said supporting tape; and means for selectively operating said shafts.

4. In a Venetian blind, U-shaped hanger members provided in their legs with inclined slots; a shaft member receivable in and journaled in the base of said slots; tilting saddles extending from said shaft between the arms of said hanger members; slats and a bottom rail; flexible supporting means for said slats and connected to said saddles; another shaft member journalled in said first mentioned shaft; and flexible means connected to said rail and overlying said supporting means and adapted to be wound around said second mentioned shaft member to raise and lower said slats.

5. In a Venetian blind, hanger members, a shaft supported by and journaled in said members; slats and a bottom rail; flexible supporting means for said slats; flexible means connected to said rail and overlying said supporting means and adapted to be wound around said shaft to raise and lower saidislats; tilting members spaced along said shaft and .oscillatable thereon; said supporting means'being connected .atlone end tosaid tilting members and at its other end to said rail; and respective means to independently rotate said shaft and oscillate said tilting means.

6. A combined raising and lowering and tilting mechanism for Venetian blinds comprising a shaft; means for supporting and journalling said shaft; slats; tilting saddles spaced along-said shaft and oscillatable thereon; flexible means connected to said saddles for supporting said slats; flexible means adapted to be wound around said shaftand connected to raise and lower said shaft; slats; tilting saddles spaced along said shaft and oscillatable thereon; flexible means connected to said saddles'for supporting said slats; flexible means adapted to be woundaround said shaft and connected to raise'and lowersaid slats; a pully-fixed-to one of said saddles and a through which said 'shaft'may freely rotate; a pulley fixed -to said shaft; respective flexible means connected'to independently operate said pulleys to respectively rotate said shaft and to oscillate said saddles;'and means engaging said pulleys to hold the same in adjusted positions upon release of said flexibleoperating-means.

8. In a Venetian blind for openings, 'a shaft extending along said opening; tilting saddles spaced along said shaft and including arms spaced apart by spacing members; slats and a lower rail; supporting means for said-slats connected to said-spacing members and to said rail; a hoisting tape connected to said rail'and to be wound around saidshaft between-said arms and overlying said slat supporting means; means for oscillating said saddles to move said slats into various angular-positions; and means to-rotate said shaft to wind said hoisting 'tape therevaround'and to unwind said tape therefrom.

9. In a Venetian blind, a shaft, spools spaced along and fixed to said shaft; slats and alower rail; means for supporting said'slats; a hoisting tape connected to said rail and'overlying said slat supporting means and adapted to be wound upon said spools; and means to rotate said shaft.

10. In a Venetian blind, a shaft, spools spaced along and fixed to said shaft; slats and a lower rail; flexible members-for supporting said slats;

a hoisting member connected to said rail and to said saddles.

12. In a Venetian blind for openings; hanger members; a shaft extending along said opening and journalled in said members; tilting saddles journalled in said members and oscillatable about. saids'haft; a pulley'fixed'to one tilting'sadsaid pulleys to operate said tilting saddle; means to normally urge said shoe into frictional engagement with said first mentioned pulley; and means to rotate said shaft.

13. In a Venetian blind for openings; hanger members; a shaft extending along said opening and journalled in said members; tilting saddles journalled in said members and oscillatable about said shaft; means to oscillate said saddles; a pulley fixed to said shaft; a hanger pivotally connected to one of said hanger members; pulleys journalled to said pivotally connected hanger; a shoe extending from said pivotal hanger to engage said first mentioned pulley; a flexible member trained over said pulleys to rotate said shaft; and means to normally urge said shoe into frictional engagement with said first mentioned pulley.

14. In a Venetian blind for openings; hanger members; a stop associated with one of said hanger members; a shaft extending along said opening and journalled in said members; tilting saddles journalled in said members and oscillatable about said shaft; means to oscillate said saddles; a pulley fixed to said shaft; a hanger pivotally connected to one of said hanger members; a projection extending from said pivotal hanger member to engage said stop and limit downward pivotal movement of said pivotal hanger member; pulleys journalled to said pivotally connected hanger; a shoe extending from said pivotal hanger to engage said first mentioned pulley; a flexible member trained over said pulleys to rotate said shaft; and means to normally urge said shoe into frictional engagement with said first mentioned pulley.

15. In a Venetian blind for openings; hanger members spaced along-said opening; a shaft extending along said opening and journaled in said members; tilting saddles journalled in said members and oscillatable about said shaft; a pulley fixed to one tilting saddle; a hanger pivotally connected to one of said hanger members; pulleys journalled to said pivotally connected hanger; a shoe extending from said pivotal hanger to engage said first mentioned pulley; a flexible member trained over said pulleys to oscillate said first mentioned pulley; means to normally urge said shoe into frictional engagement with said first mentioned pulley; means connecting said tilting saddles so that upon oscillation of said first mentioned pulley said tilting saddles will be operated in unison; a pulley fixed to said shaft; another hanger pivotally connected to another of said hanger members; pulleys journalledto said other pivotally connected hanger; a shoe extending from said other pivotal hanger to engage said pulley fixed to said shaft; a flexible member to rotate said shaft trained over the pulleys journalled to said other pivotally connected hanger and the pulley fixed to said shaft; and means to normally urge said last mentioned shoe into frictional engagement with said pulley fixed to said shaft.

16. In a Venetian blind, a shaft; slats and a lower rail; flexible members for supporting said slats and lower rail; tilting means connected to said flexible members for tilting said slats to dles; a spacing member non-rotatably connected various angular positions; a hoisting member connected to said rail and adapted to be wound upon said shaft and overlying said flexible slat supporting members; and means to rotate said shaft.

17. In a Venetian blind for openings, U-shaped hanger members spaced along said opening; a shaft journalled in said members; tilting saddles oscillatable on said shaft and mounted between the arms of said U-shaped hanger members and including arms spaced apart by spacing members; slats and a lower rail; supporting means for said slats connected to said spacing members and to said rail; said arms being of such length that the ends thereof engage the web of said U-shaped hanger members to limit oscillation of said saddles; means to oscillate said saddles; a hoisting tape for said slats connected to said shaft and rail, and independent means to rotate said shaft to raise and lower said hoisting tape,

18. In a Venetian blind for openings, hanger members; tilting saddles oscillatable in and supported by said members and including an arm; slats and. a lower rail; supporting means for said slats connected to said rail and tilting saddles; said arm being of such length that the ends thereof engage a fixed member to limit oscillai tion of said saddles when said slats are moved to fully closed position; means to oscillate said saddles; and hoisting means for said slats.

19. In a Venetian blind for openings, U-shaped hanger members spaced along said opening; a shaft extending along said opening and journalled in said members; tilting saddles mounted between the arms of said members and oscillatto adjacent extensions between said hanger members to cause said saddles to be operated in unison; means for oscillating said tilting saddles; and means to rotate said shaft to wind and unwind said hoisting means onto and from said shaft,

20. In a Venetian blind for openings, U-shaped hanger members spaced along said opening; a shaft extending along said opening and journalled in said members; tilting saddles mounted between the arms of said members and oscillatable on said shaft and including arms spaced apart by spacing members; slats and a lower rail; supporting means for said slats connected to said rail and to said spacing members; flexible hoisting means for said slats overlying said supporting means and adapted to be wound upon said shaft between said arms; an extension fixed to and extending from each of said tilting saddles; a spacing member non-rotatably connected to adjacent extensions between said hanger members to cause said saddles to be operated in unison; means for oscillating said tilting saddles including a pulley connected to one of said tilting saddles, a pivotally mounted hanger having a shoe normally urged into engagement with said pulley, and flexible means trained over said pulley and cooperating with said pivoted hanger whereby upon operation thereof to tilt said saddles said shoe will be released from engagement with said pulley; and means to rotate said shaft to wind and unwind said hoisting means onto and from said shaft, including a pulley fixed to said shaft, a pivotally mounted hanger having a shoe normally urged into engagement with said pulley fixed to said shaft, and flexible means trained over said fixed pulley and cooperating with said last mentioned hanger whereby upon operation thereof to rotate said shaft said shoe will be released from engagement with said fixed pulley.

WILLIAM E. WREAD. 

